Fire-actuated fire extinguisher



Feb. 11, 1958 w. POST FIRE-ACTUATED FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Dec. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

POST

WILLJAM FIRE-ACTUATED FIRE EXTINGUISHER William'Post, Grand Junction, Colo. Application December 7, 1956, Serial No. 626,959

7 Claims. (Cl. 169-28) This invention relates to an improvedfire-actuated fire extinguisher of the frangible container, projectile actuated type.

The primary object of the invention'is to provides: more practical and efiicient device of this kind which is in the form of a single unit for mounting on the ceiling or other part of an area to be fire-protected, and which can be installed in numbers'to form a fire extinguishing system in which the various fire extinguishers are connected to operate together.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of'the character indicated, improved spring-actuated explosive cartridge detonating means which is restrained from operating by a flammable element which is arranged to be severed only by consumption thereofby fire in the immediate vicinity of a system or of a simple fire extinguisher. in accordance with the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fi're extinguisher of the character indicated above which is readily and economically manufactured, is easily installed, and is highly satisfactory for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter is described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and-in which:

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview showing a fire extinguishing system. composed of fire extinguishers in accordance with. the present invention, mounted on the ceiling of. a room or the like;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse-section taken substantially on the plane of line 2-2'0f Figure l, portions being broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse fragmentary section taken substantially on the plane of line'44 of Figure 2';

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section takensubstantially on the plane of line 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the plane ofline 66'of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, indicated'generally at his a ceiling of a room, or the like, having installed on theunder surface thereof a fire-actuated fire extinguishing system, indicated generally at 12, comprising a plurality of fire extinguishers, indicated generally at 14, of the present invention.

Each of the fire extinguishers 14, see Figure 2, comprises an upwardly openingchannelbody 16 having legs 18 and 20 whose upper edges are suitably secured to the ceilingC anda bight portion or web 21. Theweb 21 has' a central opening 22 having extending therethrough a vertical tubular sleeve 24 comprising" a portion of a detonating assembly, indicated generally at 26.

2,322,871 Patented Feb. 11 1 958.

The sleeve 24 has on its upper end as enlarged diameter circular plate 28-which rests upon the web 21 and 1s apertured for retaining screws 30 threaded into the web 21. The upper end of the tubular sleeve 24 is closed by a portion 32of the plate 28 which has a vertical bore 34 therethrough. Centrally on the portion 32' is an upstanding boss 36 through which the bore 34 extends. One side of the boss 36 has a horizontal slot 38 therein in communication with the bore 34 on a level with the top of the plate 28. Slidably bearing upon the upper surfaceof the plate 28 and extending in the slot 38 and partially across the bore 34, is the horizontal leg 40 of an L-shaped trigger, indicated generally at 42, which has a vertically extending leg 44.

Reciprocably engaged in the bore 34 is an elongated firing pin 46 having a conical lower end 48. The firing pin 46' has adjacent its lower end a retaining pin 60, and circumposed on the firing pin and compressed between the pin 60. and the portion 32 of the plate 28 is a coil spring 62 which urges the firing pin downwardly. The 'firing pin 46 has in itsupper part an annular groove 64 into which is engageable the bifurcated end portion 66 of the leg 40 of the trigger 42, see Figures 3 and 5, whereby the firing pin-46is held'up in cocked position with the spring 62 under tension.

The sleeve 24' incorporates-in its upper end adjacent the plate 28 screw threads, as indicated at 68, with which are engage-d threads 69 on the upper endof the inner sleeve to which is shorter than and fits in the outer sleeve 24. The lower end of the inner sleeve 70, see Figure 2, is spaced upwardly from the lower end 74 ofthe outer sleeve 24, and is in engagement with the upper end of an explosive cartridge, indicated generally at 72, which may be of the smokeless-powder type, the. detonating portion of the explosive shell being disposed beneath the conical lower end 48 of the-firing pin 46. The outer sleeve 24 has adjacent the lower end 74 thereof external threads 76 receiving therein the threadedupper end 77 of a tubular retaining nipple 78 constituting the nozzle of'the detonating assembly. The lower en'd'of the nozzle 78 is externally threaded as indicated at 80,. and has threaded thereon a cup 82 secured in the upper end of a frangible container 84 containing therein a suitable fire extinguishing medium indicated at 86. Accordingly, when the trigger 42 is displaced toward the right, as seen in Figure 2, the firing pin 46 will be depressed by the spring 62, into engagement with the detonating portion of the explosive cartridge 72, the explosion of Which severs the bottom wall 88 of the cup 80, so that the resultant increase of pressure within the frangible container 84 bursts it side wall 85 and disperses the extinguishing medium 86 on an existing fire.

Fire extinguishers 14 can be located' at random positions on the ceiling C, and operatively connected together into a system by an elongated flexible triggering wire 96 which extends through the holes 43 in the upper ends of the vertical legs 44 of the triggers 42, and through guide eyes 92 extending vertically from the upper surfaces-of the opposite ends of the webs 21 of the channel bodies 16, and through guide eyes 94secured in the ceiling'C; One end of the triggering wire is secured at 97 tonne end of a contractiletrigger'releasing spring 98, whose other'end is anchored to a ceilingmounted anchor block 100 by an eye 102. The other end of the triggering wire 90 is secured to a ceiling mounted anchor block 104 at the opposite end of the body 16 by means ofan eye 106. The triggering wire has therein a slack portion 108 which enables free longitudinal movement of thetriggering wire in a direction to release the trigger '42. If desired, a guide sleeve 110 maybe secured'on the ceiling C to aid in forming the slack portion 108. The triggering wire has secured thereon at the inward side of the vertical legs 44 of the triggers 42, abutment tabs 112 which are engageable with the legs 44 of the triggers 42 when the triggering wire 90 is moved toward the right, as seen in Figure 2, so as to move the triggers 42 and withdraw the legs 44 from the grooves,64 of the firing pins and permit the firing pins 46 to be driven downwardly and detonate the cartridges 72. The contractile trigger releasing springs 98 bias the triggering wire 90 toward the right and serve to withdraw the triggers 42 and condition actuation of the detonating assemblies 26.

Indicated at 114 is a flammable cord having one end 116 suitably secured at 115 to the end of the contractile spring 98 to which the end 96 of the triggering wire 90 is secured. The flammable cord 114 extends through ceil-' ing mounted guide eyes 118, and the opposite end 120 of the cord is anchored to a ceiling mounted anchoring block 122. The flammable cord 114 is stretched so as to prevent contraction of the spring 98 and actuation of the detonating assembly 26, unless and until a fire occurs and the cord 114 becomes ignited and thereby becomes severed and the contractile spring 98 is thereby free-d to actuate the detonating assembly 26, and dispersal on the fire of the fire extinguishing medium 86, as hereinabove described.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a. fire extinguishing system, a plurality of fire extinguishers each comprising a frangible fire extinguishing material container, spring-actuated explosive cartridge detonating means for fracturing the container, flammable means mounted to restrain actuation of the detonating means unless and until severed by a fire in the region of a fire extinguisher, each of said detonating means having a trigger, and a common triggering wire operatively connected to the triggers.

2. In a fire extinguishing system, a plurality of fire extinguishers each comprising a frangible fire extinguishing material container, spring-actuated explosive cartridge detonating means for fracturing the container, flammable means mounted to restrain actuation of the detonating means unless and until severed by a fire in the region of a fire extinguisher, each of said detonating means having a trigger, and a common triggering wire operatively connected to the triggers, the detonating means of at least one of said fire extinguishers having a contractile trigger actuating spring to which said triggering wire is operatively connected.

3. In a fire extinguisher, a body adapted to be secured to a support, a detonating assembly mounted on said body comprising a plate, a reduced central boss on said plate, said boss having in a side thereof a slot on a level with a surface of said plate, said plate and said boss having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with said slot, a firing pin slidably engaged in said bore and having a groove intermediate its ends registrable with said slot in a cocked position of the firing pin, said firing pin having a cartridge engaging end, sleeve means on said plate surrounding the firing pin, cartridge retaining means on said sleeve means for mounting an explosive cartridge in said sleeve means in line with said cartridge engaging end of the firing pin, a frangible fire extinguishing material container mounted on said sleeve means to be fractured by detonation of the cartridge, spring means acting between the firing pin and said plate for driving the firing pin toward a cartridge engaged in said mounting means, a trigger having an arm slidably engaged in said slot, said arm having a terminal end engageable in the groove of the firing pin only in the, cocked positionof the firing 4 pin, and triggering means for withdrawing said trigger arm from the firing pin groove.

4. In a fire extinguisher, a body adapted to be secured to a support, a detonating assembly mounted on said body comprising a plate, a reduced central boss on said plate, said boss having in a side thereof a slot on a level with a surface of said plate, said plate and said boss having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with said slot, a firing pin slidably engaged in said bore and having a groove intermediate its ends registrable with said slot in a cocked position of the firing pin, said firing pin having a cartridge engaging end, sleeve means on said plate surrounding the firing pin, cartridge retaining means on said sleeve means for mounting an explosive cartridge in said sleeve means in line with said cartridge engaging end of the firing pin, a frangible fire extinguishing material container mounted on said sleeve means to be fractured by detonation of the cartridge, spring means acting between the firing pin and said plate for driving the firing pin toward a cartridge engaged in said mounting means, a trigger having anarm slidably engaged in said slot, said arm having a terminal end engageable in the groove of the firing pin only in the cocked position of the firing pin, and triggering means for withdrawing said trigger arm from the firing pin groove, said triggering means comprising a contractile trigger actuating spring having an end adapted to be anchored to a support andanother end, a triggering wire having an end connected to said otherend of the contractile spring and having thereon an abutment. arranged to engage the trigger and withdraw said terminal end of the arm from the firing pin groove upon contraction of said contractile spring, said triggering wire being arranged to maintain said contractile spring in a stretched and tensioned condition, and flammable means connected to said other end of the contractile spring and maintaining said contractile spring in a stretched condition until severed by fire.

5. In a fire extinguisher, a body adapted to be secured to a support, a detonating assembly mounted on said body comprising a plate, a reduced central boss on said plate, said boss having in a side thereof a slot on a level 'with'a surface of said plate, said plate and said boss having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with said slot, 21 firing pin slidably engaged in said bore and having a groove intermediate its ends registrable with said slot'in a cocked position of the firing pin, said firing pin having a cartridge engaging end, sleeve means on said plate surrounding the firing pin, cartridge retaining means on said sleeve means for mounting an explosive cartridge in said sleeve means in line with said cartridge engaging end of the firing pin, a frangible fire extinguishing material container mounted on said sleeve means to be fractured by detonation of the cartridge, spring means acting between the firing pin and said plate for driving the firing pin toward a cartridge engaged in said mounting means, a trigger having an arm slidably engaged in said slot, said arm having a terminal end engageable in the groove of the firing pin only in the cocked position of the firing pin, and triggering means for Withdrawing said trigger arm from the firing pin groove, said triggering means comprising a contractile trigger actuating spring having an end adapted to be anchored to a support and another end, a triggering wire having an end connected to said other end of the contractile spring and having thereon an abutment arranged to engage the trigger and withdraw said terminal end of the arm from the firing pin groove upon contraction of said contractile spring, said trigger wire being arranged to maintain said contractile spring in a stretched, and tensioned condition, and flammable means connected tosaid other end of the contractile spring and maintaining said contractile spring in a stretched condition until severed by fire, said flammable means comprising a flammable cord anchored at one end and having another end secured to said other end of the contractile spring, the cord being in stretched condition.

6 In a fire extinguisher, a body adapted to be secured to a support, a detonating assembly mounted on said body comprising a plate, a reduced central boss on said plate, said boss having in a side thereof a slot on a level with a surface of said plate, said plate and said boss having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with said slot, a firing pin slidably engaged in said bore and having a groove intermediate its ends registrable with said slot in a cocked position of the firing pin, said firing pin having a cartridge engaging end, sleeve means on said plate surrounding the firing pin, cartridge retaining means on said sleeve means for mounting an explosive cartridge in said sleeve means in line with said cartridge engaging end of the firing pin, a frangible fire extinguishing material container mounted on said sleeve means to be fractured by detonation of the cartridge, spring means acting between the firing pin and said plate for driving the firing pin toward a cartridge engaged in said mounting means, a trigger having an arm slidably engaged in said slot, said arm having a terminal end engageable in the groove of the firing pi-n only in the cocked position of the firing pin, and triggering means for withdrawing said trigger arm from the firing pin groove, said sleeve means comprising an outer sleeve having an outer end, an inner sleeve secured within said outer sleeve and having an outer end spaced inwardly from the outer end of the outer sleeve, and said cartridge retaining means comprising a cartridge holding nipple threaded into the outer end of the outer sleeve.

7. In a fire extinguisher, a body adapted to be secured to a support, a detonating assembly mounted on said body comprising a plate, a reduced central boss on said plate, said boss having in a side thereof a slot on a level with a surface of said plate, said plate and said boss having a bore extending therethrough and communicating with said slot, a firing pin slidably engaged in said bore and having a groove intermediate its ends registrable with said slot in a cocked position of the firing pin, said firing pin having a cartridge engaging end, sleeve means on said plate surrounding the firing pin, cartridge retaining means on said sleeve means for mounting an explosive cartridge in said sleeve means in line with said cartridge engaging end of the firing pin, a frangible fire extinguishing material container mounted on said sleeve means to be fractured by detonation of the cartridge, spring means acting between the firing pin and said plate for driving the firing pin toward a cartridge engaged in said mounting means, a trigger having an arm slidably engaged in said slot, said arm 'having a terminal end engageable in the groove of the firing pin only in the cocked position of the firing pin, and triggering means for withdrawing said trigger arm from the firing pin groove, said sleeve means comprising an outer sleeve having an outer end, an inner sleeve secured within said outer sleeve and having an outer end spaced inwardly from the outer end of the outer sleeve, and said cartridge retaining means comprising a cartridge holding nipple threaded into the outer end of the outer sleeve, and means mounting said container on said sleeve means comprising a member secured to the container and threaded on said nipple.

Flanagan Feb. 17, 1914 Wittig June 1, 1937 

